ioo THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



The downward deflection of the tip from the hori- 

 zontal without any weight attached is termed the 

 " free deflection." Mr. Montagu gives the follow- 

 ing data concerning " a very perfect dry-fly rod made 

 by a manufacturer with a world-wide reputation : 

 Length, 9%. feet; weight, 6 ounces; free deflection, 

 6 inches; deflection with i -ounce weight, 19% inches, 

 with 2-ounce weight, 33 inches; vibrations per min- 

 ute, 106." The stiffer the rod the " quicker " it is 

 the more vibrations per minute; the " soft " rod 

 is a " slow " one. " A good rod should have not 

 less than one-hundred vibrations per minute." We 

 also might note here that for best results in a rod 

 designed for dry-fly fishing it is enlarged or made 

 extra stocky toward the extreme butt. 



When it comes to a rod for bait-fishing, and to 

 the construction of a short, Western-style rod for 

 casting artificial bait from the reel, better results are 

 attained for the special work required if these rods 

 are relatively stiffer at the tip and for some distance 

 back than obtains in a fly-rod. We will achieve 

 this effect by having a more markedly divergent taper 

 near the lighter end. In the case of our ten-foot 

 fly-rod, as plotted which is a rod having consid- 

 erable backbone a very satisfactory result will be 

 produced by making an additional, bait top that shall 

 be just one foot shorter than the fly top-joint, and by 

 tapering it in a swelled fashion from the caliber at 



